PEI Provider News Volume 7, Issue 6

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PEI Provider News
A PEI Newsletter Volume 7, Issue 6

Welcome to PEI Provider News! Our weekly e-newsletter to providers combines provider resources, stories of interest, exclusive educational opportunities and grant information.



Coronavirus Resources

Coronavirus Guidance from DSHS and the Governor is available online for all Texans as we respond to the pandemic. Information changes weekly; it's a good idea to bookmark this page for the most up-to-date, accurate information on current response efforts. 

Help and Hope COVID-19 resource page: Visit HelpAndHope.org to find updated resources for providers and the general public.

Coronavirus Resources for PEI Providers: Information on the COVID-19 virus for providers.

Be Strong Families is hosting a series of webinars in English (12:00 P.M.) and Spanish (1:30 P.M.) daily. Check out their website for topics including grieving experiences and expectations, family storytelling workshop, self-care for caregivers, financial resilience, and candid experiences of COVID-19. 


Don't Wait! Get Your Flu Shot Today

Flu Season is here. The CDC recommends that everyone six months of age and older get the flu vaccine every season. Bookmark and share these flu-related resources:


Partners In Prevention Banner Logo

Register for the Partners in Prevention Conference

Registration is live for the 20th Annual Partners in Prevention (PIP) Conference and the PEI Grantee Meeting. Grantees should register for both events.

PIP Conference 

  • October 21-22 (all-day).
  • Each contract should have already received a complimentary registration PIP discount code that can be used for up to four free registrations per contract. Any registrations beyond that will cost $75 per registration.

Register for the PIP Conference


PIP Grantee Meeting (formerly known as Pre-Conference day)

  • October 27, from 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. and
    October 28, from 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.
  • When registering, please select the Grantee/Subgrantee registration type,
  • If you’d like to register more individuals for the Grantee Meeting please email PEITraining@dfps.state.tx.us to request an exception.

Register for the PEI Grantee Meeting


This year we’re partnering with the Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services to co-present two sessions during our overlapping conferences: 

  • 21st Century Child Welfare
  • Making Ethical Decisions Involving Race in Policy and Practice

Visit our PIP Conference Session page for more details.


San Antonio Zoo Boo!

San Antonio Zoo's Zoo Boo! & Drive Thru Zoo Boo! is a fun, non-scary Halloween event for the entire family. Zoo Boo! will be held daily through October 31st. The zoo will be decked out with Halloween fun complete with trick-or-treat stations sponsored by H-E-B, pumpkin painting, dance parties, costume contests, and a hay maze. Every Friday thru October 30, trick-or-treat from the comfort of your vehicle with trick-or-treat stations sponsored by H-E-B during Drive Thru Zoo Boo! from 5-7 p.m.


Brain Builders Parenting Class

Date: Tuesday, October 13th
Time: 1:00 - 2:30 P.M. (CST)
Registration Link

Date: Wednesday, October 14th
Time: 6:00 - 7:30 P.M. (CST)
Registration Link

Date: Saturday, October 24th
Time: 11:00 - 12:30 P.M. (CST)
Registration Link

The first three years of a child’s life are the most important for his or her brain development. Yet, many parenting programs do not teach parents the necessary skills to ensure their infants and toddlers have the best possible chance of having a healthy brain, which is important to do well in school and in life.

Rice University developed a group-based parenting program that provides science-based, skill-building support to help parents build their child’s brain. The Brain Builders Parenting Course (BBPC) is a free, interactive online program that covers topics ranging from language development to managing stress and building resilience. This program is designed for pregnant women and mothers with children under three. Moms can connect with other moms, and each class is held as a facilitated discussion with an opportunity to share life experiences and form new friendships.

For more information, please contact Outreach Coordinator, Laura Zelaya at bbpc@rice.edu or by phone at (832) 360-7697.


Healthier Texas Summit

The Healthier Texas Summit Series is offering webinar sessions through October 29th in collaboration with IT’S TIME TEXAS and the University of Texas to help the health of all Texans and Texans working to transform health. Continuing education credits are also available for some sessions.


Register for the 2020 Pediatric Brain Health Summit

The 2020 Pediatric Brain Health Summit, which is online and free to attend on November 5-6, 2020, is part of the Texas Pediatric Brain Health Initiative, a multi-sector, multi-agency collaboration focused on the prenatal to three-year-old developmental window. The purpose of the summit is to focus on building stronger connections between pediatric providers and community-based organizations that provide support and services for families.

Visit the Summit's website to get more information and make sure to register for both day of the Summit!


Equity and Hope in a Time of Chaos

WhyTry.org hosted the Equity and Hope in a Time of Chaos webinar last week on October 1st, and they made the webinar recording available to watch on their website along with more information. The panel discusses how educators have returned to school this fall facing some of the most difficult challenges of their careers, the effects this pandemic has caused teachers, and how they educate students. That combined with the tension in our communities from the politics of this election year and racial tension everywhere, it feels like things are going from crisis to chaos.


Connect with the PEI Learning Hub

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Influence and Persuasion

A course for those who believe that consensus and agreement are achievable through effective dialogue.

Communicate for Business: Write, Email, Close the Loop

Learn tips and tricks on how to write clearly & concisely in email and all business contexts, then design a communication plan to make sure it sticks.

To take these courses: 

Type or paste the course names above into the search bar on the PEI Learning Hub.

  • Click on the course and select “request”
  • On your transcript select “launch” to begin
  • When the video is complete, go to "completed" courses in your transcript
  • Select "evaluate" to provide feedback

For questions, contact PEITraining@dfps.state.tx.us.


Achieve OnDemand is now The Essentials of Home Visiting

Achieve OnDemand is changing its name to The Essentials of Home Visiting. Beginning October 7th, please use this link for any webinars from Start EarlyTM, formerly The Ounce/Achieve OnDemand.

Register for and attend webinars in the Essentials of Home Visiting portal at a cost of $25.00 per webinar session.

Implementing Tools to Enhance Home Visiting (Webinar)

Date: Tuesday, October 13th
Time: 12:00 P.M. (CST)
Registration Link (Register by Monday, October 12, before noon)

As a supervisor, there are many tools that you can leverage to operate your home visiting programs, enhance the quality of services delivered to children and families, and improve outcomes for those served by your program. However, it can be difficult to identify and implement these tools while still focusing on your day-to-day operational tasks. In this webinar we will explore how a supervisor can collect and use data to assess and improve the quality of their home visiting program build a mosaic of data in an assessment framework. This webinar complements the Supervising Home Visitors self-paced course.

This learning experience qualifies for 0.1 IACET Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Full completion and/or attendance of the learning experience, a passing score on any post-test(s), and completion of the end of course evaluation are required to be awarded IACET CEUs.


Texas Fatherhood Summit Recordings

The 2020 Texas Fatherhood Summit was adapted into Texas Fatherhood Fridays, a series of free webinars held over four Fridays during Summer 2020. Texas Fatherhood Fridays are for professionals who engage with and/or impact policies about fathers and families, including local and state policymakers and agencies, researchers, and representatives from parent and family programs, nonprofits, and other community groups. 

Texas Fatherhood Friday Themes

Visit the Child and Family Research Partnership page for details and links to recordings.


First3Years October Webinar Series

Helping Children With Autism Thrive

Note: This webinar is offered twice. Please select the registration link of the date you wish to attend:

Date: Tuesday, October 13th 
Time: 12:00 P.M. (CST)
Registration Link

Date: Thursday, October 15th 
Time: 10:00 A.M. (CST)
Registration Link

With one in 68 children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, it's common for teachers and other professionals to encounter these kids as part of their daily activities. When caring for or working with a child with Autism, a parent, teacher, or other adult may become frustrated with the child's behavior, however, navigating these challenges is easier with some insight.


30th Annual IUN Forum on Child Abuse & Neglect

The 2020 Indiana University Northwest Forum on Child Abuse & Neglect has gone virtual. Running through October 30th, the forum offers a variety of events of interest to advocates for children and families. Download the IUN Forum Flyer, or review a list of forum dates, speakers, and topics below:


Last Call for Workshop Proposals for the 13th Annual Texas School Social Workers Conference

Honoring 30 Years of Wisdom - Leadership, Advocacy and Empowerment

Save the Date: February 24-26, 2021
Time: TBD
Proposals Due: October 16, 2020 

The virtual Texas School Social Workers Conference is designed to offer school-based service providers a wide array of effective techniques and programs to enhance their work, as they meet the challenges found in today’s school settings. 

  • Conference fees will be reduced and will be available by 10/31.
  • Conference presenters will receive discounts on registration fees.
  • Submit Zoom-based Workshop Proposals by October 16, 2020 here.  

For updates and more information visit: socialwork.utexas.edu/ceu/texas-school-social-workers-conference/


Funding Opportunities

The Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) Division seeks applications to develop and implement:

Contact Information

All requests, questions or other communication about this RFA shall be made in writing to the Sole Point of Contact addressed to the person listed below. All communications between Applicants and DFPS staff members concerning the RFA are strictly prohibited, unless noted elsewhere in this RFA. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in disqualification of Applicant's Grant Application. 

Jennifer Kim, CTCD, CTCM
Health and Human Services Commission 1100 West 49th Street; Mail Code 2020 Building S Austin, TX 78756
Jennifer.Kim@hhs.texas.gov


Hurricane Delta

We are thinking of our providers in Southeast Texas and along the Louisiana border affected by Hurricane Delta, hoping everyone is ok. If you need anything, please reach out to your program specialists or 2-1-1 who can help find local resources. The Texas Hurricane Center has helpful resources too.

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